Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegramerl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Pelargonium  plant named ‘Kuegramerl’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; compact and vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; red purple and red bi-colored flowers; no cooling treatment required for flower initiation and development; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium crispum×Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘KUEGRAMERL’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium crispum×Pelargoniumgrandiflorum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Kuegramerl’.

The new Pelargonium plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new interspecific Pelargoniums that canbe grown as potted and/or bedding plants.

The new Pelargonium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventors in Dresden, Germany in 2006 of Pelargonium crispum‘Randy’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with anunidentified selection of Pelargonium grandiflorum, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Pelargonium plant was discovered andselected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Dresden, Germany in December, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Pelargonium plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germanysince the spring of 2007, has shown that the unique features of this newPelargonium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Pelargonium have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kuegramerl’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kuegramerl’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium:

-   -   1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Compact and vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; pinching is not required.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Red purple and red bi-colored flowers.    -   6. No cooling treatment required for flower initiation and        development.    -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Randy’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium are more upright than and not        as trailing as plants of ‘Randy’.    -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium have thicker stems, larger        leaves and larger flowers than plants of ‘Randy’.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Pelargonium are held closer        together than flowers of plants of ‘Randy’.    -   4. Plants of the new Pelargonium and ‘Randy’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Randy’ have red purple and white bi-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Pelargonium differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium are more compact than and not        as vigorous as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium have thinner stems, smaller        leaves and smaller flowers than plants of the male parent        selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium flower earlier than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Pelargonium do not require a cooling        treatment for flower initiation and development whereas plants        of the male parent selection do require a cooling treatment for        flower initiation and development.

Plants of the new Pelargonium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium grandiflorum ‘Camdared’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.20,418. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany,plants of the new Pelargonium differed from plants of ‘Camdared’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more compact than plants        of ‘Camdared’.    -   2. Plants of the new Pelargonium had stronger lateral branches        than plants of ‘Camdared’.    -   3. Plants of the new Pelargonium flowered about five days        earlier than plants of ‘Camdared’.    -   4. Plants of the new Pelargonium were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Camdared’.    -   5. Plants of the new Pelargonium had larger flowers than plants        of ‘Camdared’.    -   6. Plants of the new Pelargonium had shorter peduncles and        pedicels than plants of ‘Camdared’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Pelargonium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Pelargonium plant. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Kuegramerl’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown 12-cm containers in Dresden, Germany ina glass-covered greenhouse during the summer and under conditions whichclosely approximate commercial Pelargonium production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were 13 weeks old when thephotograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium crispum×Pelargonium    grandiflorum ‘Kuegramerl’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Pelargonium crispum, ‘Randy’ not            patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified selection of Pelargonium            grandiflorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures of 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 26 days            at temperatures of 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; creamy white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading            and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle; densely            foliated; compact and vigorous growth habit; freely basal            habit with about six to eight lateral branches developing            per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 23 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 22 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 7 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 138A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; simple.        -   Length.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 5.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Palmate, lobed.        -   Apex.—Cuspidate.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 137A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 137C. Petiole: Length: About            1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 138A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in umbels            arising from apical leaf axils; umbels displayed above the            foliage on moderately strong peduncles; flowers face mostly            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, aromatic.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about eight            flowers develop per umbel and about 16 umbels per plant.        -   Flowering season.—In Germany, flowering initiates in the            spring and continues until the autumn; plants do not require            a cooling treatment for flower initiation and development;            early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about 60 days            after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 8 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm by 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 137C.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 3.4 cm. Width: About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.            Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 59A; towards the margins, close to 53A; venation, close            to 59A; with development, color becoming closer to 79B and            towards the margins, close to 59A. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 59A; towards the margins,            close to 59B; venation, close to 59A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper surface: Close to 141C. Color, lower surface: Close to            141A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle: Mostly erect.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 141A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2.3 cm.            Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Strength: Moderately strong. Angle:            Mostly erect. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            141B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About seven. Filament length: About 1.4 cm. Filament color:            Close to N74A. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:            Ovate. Anther color: Close to N30A. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to N25A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.6 cm. Stigma shape:            Five-parted. Stigma color: Close to 53A. Style length: About            1.1 cm. Style color: Close to 53A. Ovary color: Close to            138C.        -   Seeds/fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed on plants of the new Pelargonium.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been    observed to be resistant to Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii    and Puccinia pelargonii-zonalis. Plants of the new Pelargonium have    not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens    common to Pelargoniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Pelargonium have been observed    to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.

1. A new and distinct Pelargonium plant named ‘Kuegramerl’ asillustrated and described.